The Heir of Regulus
by vandy222
Summary: What if Malfoy manor had been named Voldemort's headquarters before the second war? What if Abraxas Malfoy was the first to discover the dark lord's fall and retrieved Harry Potter - using the infant as a negotiating tool in a scenario that saves Lucius from Azkaban and gives the Black family an heir. How would things have turned out?
1. Chapter 1

Once again he found himself hidden away behind several plumes of tobacco smoke in the corner of his office. Rocking back and forth, the old man listened to the steady creaks of his antique chair harmonizing with the soft patter of rain and distant thunder, soothing himself to the familiar melody. The colossal stacks of documents and letters piled high on his desk remained unread as the eldest Black continued to stare at the wall in front of him.

As the days had stretched into years the deep wrinkles of disdain etched into the aristocrat's face withered into a mask resembling that of a grieving father. Every so often, trapped tears would glisten in his eyes as he gazed at the descendants he would soon leave behind. The family tree painted on the wall in front of him was littered with outcasts designated by dark blotches of burnt sheetrock and torn wallpaper, often times provoking him to smother his half-smoked cigar in his cluttered ash trey. When thinking of the despised Malfoys and how they would soon outstrip his family's legacy, the stronger sedative of his uncorked firewhisky never ceased in calling for his indulgence.

As a crack of lightning caught his attention, Arcturus rose from his seat and trudged across the broken shards of glass and tobacco ashes scattered across the floor, fetching the unopened envelope he had been waiting for. Breaking the wax seal with a trembling and unsteady hand, he began to read the letter from his former friend and rival.

_My Afflicted Friend-_

_It has been 17 years and one fortnight since our last correspondence, yet your losses remain as my sorrows. I too have endured similar tribulations and agonies since our regrettable departure from friendship, finding the passage of time to be the only cure for such tragedies. It is my hope that you may find some consolation in knowing that we are not too far from depositing our miseries and heartaches into the soil beneath us, as I now await my passing with open arms._

_Nevertheless, you and I mustn't depart from this earth without having confessed to one another. I am an old man and decrepit, too old to alter my views of this world. We may only understand together that so long as there is humanely devised rule of the masses there will be politics, and thus disagreement among the lowest and greatest of minds. Yet, our treacherous history together runs deeper than mere difference of opinion... and I admit that it is I that should be named the culprit of our lost companionship. Greed has always been my downfall._

_Still, age can humble even the most wicked of men. After all this time I would prefer to die as a forgiven man, my friend, and one that may have offered hope to our diminishing bloodlines. In this hope, allow us to strike a deal in the favor of your family as a token of my apologies._

_As you may be aware, my family manor was selected as headquarters for the dark lord just last year. As such, I was the first to know of his downfall - my son being appointed to another assignment at the time. When I sent a servant to inspect the scene at Godric's Hollow, she returned with an unexpected visitor - your great-nephew, Harry Potter._

_I will tell you now that when my elf returned with the Potter heir in her arms a few nights ago, I had planned on disposing of the child at once. However, I remembered your letter from the day before and began to ponder the different possibilities. Thus, I ask you to consider the following proposal._

_My son, Lucius, has not merely funded the dark lord's cause as I have, but also joined the inner ranks of his followers. Due to his open display of loyalty, he is suspected by the ministry and will likely serve time in Azkaban. While it is true that I have a certain influence over the minister, a father's voucher will not stand in the court of public opinion. Minister Bagnold is well aware of this. She cannot allow a death eater off the hook without ruining her political career either, nor would she wish to. However, if a credible and impartial individual were to come forward and either claim his innocence or claim to have knowledge that he was coerced into carrying out the dark lord's bidding, he could be saved. While many in your family honorably served the dark lord, you were known to have remained neutral - perhaps remaining loyal to Grindenwald's ambitions. Furthermore, we are known to be political rivals, even if we are situated in the same party._

_You can vouch for Lucius' innocence. If you were to do so, I would hand over the child. The child is of your blood and you, my dear Arcturus, are badly in need of an heir. Allow yourself to forget his blood status for a moment and consider the power he is likely to command. For that matter he may even be pureblood; there isn't a soul under my roof that believes Lily Evans was a muggleborn. Whether it is pureblood bias or whether Dumbledore truly had a hand in her upbringing hardly matters, as I am sure your family will hold similar views once he becomes a part of your bloodline._

_I request that you accept this arrangement as a means of rekindling our friendship. Save my son and give your honorable family a suitable heir. If you do not agree, I will either dispose of the boy or find other means of his usefulness._

_Your Friend,_

_Abraxas Malfoy_

_P.S. As an incriminating piece of evidence, this letter will burn shortly after being read._

At the end of the letter, Arcturus allowed his bushy eyebrows to narrow as he threw the letter into his fireplace and watched it erupt into flames. Tracing his steps back to his rocking chair, he reached into his inside jacket pocket and lit another cigar. After a thick fume veiled his face again, he sat back down with his chin resting on a clenched fist and scanned his family tree once more. It was almost as if he had missed something after so many years of searching, his squinted eyes resting on his most recently deceased heir - Regulus Black.

Several moments later he rose from his seat yet again, nearing the wall in front of him as he ran his course fingers along the branches of his bloodline until they landed where Regulus' heir should have been.

"Mimsy!"

Arcturus barely had time to put out his second cigar of the hour before a bruised elf appeared before him, responding to her master's raspy holler with a trembling tone.

"M-Mimsy is here sir. How may -"

"Silence elf! Prepare the thestrals, we leave in five minutes."

Taking little notice of the elf's departure, Arcturus walked over to his coat hanger next to the entryway. He fetched his cane, adorned a tall top hat and swung a dark cape of his shoulders before slamming his office door shut with a reverberating echo - surely waking the remaining inhabitants of the Black family manor.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One - Part 1/2

Arcturus squinted his eyes as the dawning light crept into the library, gleaming through his half-empty cognac bottle and onto the mahogany floors. The morning radiance revealed the myriad of bookshelves filled with several texts on Grindelwald along with the silver trim of the emerald carpets he was now pacing back and forth on.

Within the blink of an eye, the grandfather clock caught Arcturus' attention, which had struck seven as the last remaining members of the Black family began to file into the room one after another.

First, was his younger cousin Pollux, who looked similar to himself except his hair had remained black and his face did not appear as distressed and timeworn as his own. He carried an elegant ivory cane that flaunted a giant emerald on top that caught the eyes of even the wealthiest aristocrats of wizarding Europe. An enduring visage of cheer defined his features, never failing to reflect his pleasant disposition.

Then there was Walburga, his daughter in law, who always looked as though she had just whiffed a batch of rotten vegetables. The middle aged woman held her wand in hand as if a duel were likely to occur at any moment. The golden serpent she wore around her neck swung like a pendulum as she moved, managing to stand out amidst the sparkling diamonds she was drenched in.

Cassiopeia was next, his younger cousin by fourteen years, who strutted into the room wearing a ravishing gown with all the vivid colors he would expect on a peacock. She wore a dreamy expression exaggerated with heavy makeup that helped disguise her age. If Arcturus didn't know her, he might expect the woman to be on her way to the Weekly Witch's monthly fashion show.

The last to enter the room was Bellatrix, his grandniece.

She was a bizarre looking witch adorning a dazzling but gothic sort of outfit that contrasted her pale complexion. Yet, beauty was also captured in her peculiarity with the most enchanting pair of dark eyes he had ever seen. Her wild jet-black locks flowed past her bare delicate shoulders with unique grace. There was also a lively disposition about her that was reflected in the bright jewels she wore around her neck and the embellishment of the velvety red make up painted on her thick lips. Her dress fitted her vuluptous figure to perfection, though she was still far too intimadating for anyone to ever approach. For him, her superficial totality encapsulated that of a dark angel exuding power and lust.

Putting a cigar in his mouth, which lit automatically upon his first puff, Arcturus peeled his eyes away from Bellatrix and made his way to the front of the library. Behind the desk that overlooked the room was another wall painting of the Black family tree, which bared the same marks of burnt sheetrock and torn wallpaper as the one in his office. Pacing back and forth before it with a wooden cane supporting each step, he waited until everyone was seated - however far apart from each other - in the neatly arranged furniture before speaking.

"I have called this family meeting because there has been a rather . . . astonishing development. One that favors the fortunes of this family."

Pausing his speech, he allowed the commanding thumps of his cane and the lingering smoke before him to set the milieu of the upcoming conversation, continuing to pace back and forth in front of the family tree.

"I say this to each and every one of you. Do not think for a solitary second that I am reluctant in striking you from this family tree and all the comforts that accompany your relations to it. From this moment forward, I will eviscerate you from the very memory of this ancient family if you are to put a single toe out of line. Do I make myself clear?"

If it weren't for Arcturus' old age, he might have been able to hear the breath of a fairy in the resulting silence of his threat. Tossing a newspaper that announced the Potter's death onto his desk, he went on.

"Before I move any further, all of you will raise your right hand and agree to the following conditions. You are to make the Unbreakable Vow. If at any point you do not agree with the terms you may leave this room, and thereby forfeit your rights to Black family name."

Once more, silence followed the old man's command as they all raised their right hand with little hesitation. Everyone in the room was familiar with Arcturus' tone and no one -not even Bellatrix - was willing to cross him. After all, there was nothing in the family's history to suggest that the old man was to be distrusted.

Taking out his wand, Arcturus began the oath.

"Do all of you before me agree to protect the new heir to the Black family? He is of our blood. Do you also agree to never reveal his identity unless I have commanded otherwise? Yes or no?"

Yet again, another period of silence ensued in which the four remaining Blacks exchanged wide eyed glances of surprise, not a single one managing to keep a straight face.

Nevertheless, a resounding 'yes' followed, Bellatrix being the last one to agree.

However, her piercing eyes remained fixed on Arcturus as the beam of light that had wrapped around their hands vanished. Her upper lip twitched as a smile crept onto her face for the first time in days, a girlish anticipation drowning her recent sorrows as she broke the muteness.

"Well, who is it grandfather?!"

"Harry Potter," Arcturus responded in triumph, a crude smile of his own spreading across his face as he held his wand at the ready, hearing the gasps of his family.

Bellatrix's smile receded as if a thief had snatched a lollipop from a child's mouth. Her eyes widened and her lips became stiff as she started in a defiant whisper, realizing she had been tricked.

"But . . . the boy is _dead_ . . . the boy is dead!"

Arcturus let out a dark chuckle.

"No Bellatrix, the boy is alive and well. Your lord merely left a small scar atop his forehead."

Often quick to respond on impulse, Bellatrix remained frozen at these words as Arcturus continued to the rest of the family.

"Walburga," he raised his hand in foresight, stopping the next objection before she could begin, "I already know. He's a -"

"A _filthy_ half-blood, Arcturus! How could you?!"

"Silence!" Arcturus bellowed as he brandished his wand towards her, employing a useful silencing spell.

"Now," he began in a more collected manner as he glanced over at Bellatrix, who looked ready to curse him at any moment, "allow me to quell your concerns. This mudblood you speak of, Lily Potter, defied the dark lord three times. Three . . . times," he repeated himself.

"Her rare talents are well documented, yet you tell me she was a mudblood? You _claim..._a mudblood was capable of fighting off the dark lord? Are you positive of this?"

As Bellatrix and Walburga shared a look of uncertainty with each other, Arcturus knew his strategy was beginning to work - just as Abraxas suggested it would. Pollux wore a skeptical expression as well.

"Perhaps Dumbledore had a hand in her birth if she possessed such talents, concealing her from the dark lord . . . perhaps Grindelwald."

The old man was aware that he was speaking utter nonsense at this point, but he was also aware that pureblood bigotry led to all sorts of nonsensical rationalizations and delusions.

"She bore a son that sent the dark lord to his grave as an infant," he continued. "So let us not dwell on the child's blood status. Instead, let us think of the power he is likely to command and the family that will possess such power, shall we?"

Bellatrix still had her hand on her wand, unnerved and ready to strike. However, Walburga was peering down at the floor as she began to run her tongue over her lips, her face contorted into a thoughtful expression. Pollux had nodded his head at every word as if he had helped prepare the speech Arcturus was now giving. Cassiopeia, on the other hand, looked as though she hadn't heard anything - her eyes glossed over and lost in space, matching her blank face.

"Are there any other concerns here? The boy will grow up a pureblood, our family will possess a capable and true heir, and the Black family name will live on," Arcturus reveled in his last statement.

"Well," Cassiopeia spoke up in her girlish tone, her long fake eyelashes dancing as her eyes blinked in rapid succession, "the boy is only one year old, Arcturus. How can you expect the family name to be continued? He cannot reproduce."

Arcturus, who had not managed to have a discussion with Cassiopeia in nearly a year though she lived in the same house, returned her blank stare with one of his own.

_'The old girl has finally gone mad_,' he thought to himself before replying.

"Yes . . . well, we will do our best to resolve those concerns, Cassiopeia. Are there any _other_ concerns, somebody else perhaps?"

Pollux stood up and allowed a thump of his cane to call attention to himself. As usual, he wore polished leather brown loafers in business attire along with a small english top hat, commanding a certain amount of respect for his accomplishments in the private sector.

"Surely you do not think that the dark lord is dead, Arcturus? No body . . . no evidence of his death. Perhaps he is weak, perhaps it will take years, but he _will_ return. What then? You have just put us all in grave danger! Have you no plan?"

Relishing in the same fervor that his cousin just spoke with, Arcturus stole a menacing glare at Bellatrix before responding.

"Do not accuse me of naivety, Pollux! I appreciate the complexity the issue as much as anyone in this room. There is, of course, a plan. I have spoken with the Malfoys, as well as a number of other families that followed the dark lord, and they have all come forward with similar concerns. Many wished to defect upon seeing the lengths at which the dark lord was willing to go to achieve power, but they were frightened for their family's lives. Their resignation would have been akin to a death sentence."

Bellatrix had heard enough.

"And they would have _deserved_ to die! I would have killed the traitors myself!"

"O shutup!" Arcturus spat. "Your unwavering loyalty to that sadist was an infatuation with a man! A monster! Not a cause! You disgrace the family -"

"_Incarcerous_!"

Bellatrix fell to the floor, bound in ropes as her intended curse went flying in another direction, singeing one of the many texts upon the nearest bookshelf.

"Thank you, Pollux."

Pollux bowed his head in respect, gesturing for Arcturus to continue with his plan as he stood over his granddaughter, who was shrieking like a madwoman.

Letting out a heavy sigh as he shook his head and tilted it to the ground, Arcturus lifted his silencing spell from Walburga while placing one on Bellatrix.

"As I was saying," he plowed on, "there were many families that had wished to defect, yet were unable to do so. Now that the dark lord is gone, it is possible for families such as ours, the Malfoys, and a few others to provide additional incentives for the pureblood families of England to band together and prevent him from regathering his followers. His presence once united us all, I think the fear of his return could do so again. Remember, Pollux, the reason the dark lord was able to persuade so many to join his cause is because families like ours failed to lead them. That will not happen again."

Pollux and Walburga glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes, their lips tightened and their faces stern as nuns.

"Is that all?" Walburga spoke up. "A united front led by the wealthiest families? Offering ministry positions, lucrative employment, whatever else you mean by 'incentives' . . . It may not be enough to conquer the fear the dark lord instilled in these families."

"That fear was instilled by the sheer number of followers he had at his disposal, not his power alone," Arcturus replied. "At any rate, that was not the only course of action I had in mind."

"Well your first plan is by no means full proof, Arcturus," Pollux chastised, "your next had better be something good. So go on . . . What is it?"

Arcturus removed his spectacles for effect, smothering his cigar and looking at each individual in the room with hardened eyes.

"Gellert Grindelwald . . . Abraxas and I have formed a plan to set him free."

BREAK...


	3. Chapter 3

(Everything regarding Lily and Grindelwald is consistent with canon, according to HP wiki. The only part that may or may not be is who has jurisdiction over Grindelwald since it is never mentioned in canon.)

Chapter One Part 2 -

Several moments of silence had passed as three pairs of eyes stared at Arcturus as if he had gone as senile as Cassiopeia.

Pollux, however, managed to break the silence, stringing a few words together under a whisper.

"Grindelwald? You're mad..._How_? Why now?"

Arcturus sat down and propped his legs up on his desk, appearing as confident as ever.

"I'm glad you asked cousin. I am not privy in answering your first question. As to your second, however, there are several answers."

Summoning his crystal glass and cognac bottle from across the room, he poured himself a couple of shots and began.

"The first reason may not sound so important, but it is quite relevant. Grindelwald has been locked up for about forty years now. The ICW would have likely expected his followers to attempt a break out at the beginning of his incarceration, but releasing him now when his security is likely to have been reduced to some degree would lend us the element of surprise. Very few would anticipate any such attempt at this point."

Indulging in his cognac and allowing the substance to leave a lingering burn as it trickled down his throat, Arcturus exhaled in pleasure as he continued.

"The second and perhaps the most obvious reason is if we had released him during the dark lord's reign there would have inevitably been a power struggle. This would have divided and weakened the pureblood families into factions that the ministry would have been able to overcome - quite easily I might add."

"Third," he continued without pause, "as you are all probably aware, it was less than a decade after Grindelwald's fall in which most of his followers had either been captured or went into hiding. No coordinated plan could have been concocted, or at least in any realistic manner. Had their been a futile attempt, it is quite possible that the ICW simply would have had him executed - or at least given him the dementor's kiss - in fear of continued attempts. After all, he's a very dangerous man to keep alive."

After Arcturus took one more swig of his cognac, almost downing the entire glass, he continued.

"Lastly, and perhaps most importantly - _we need him now_. The dark lord, for all his faults, did bring the pureblood families of England together. And now that we are united, to some degree, devising a coordinated plan will be much easier than it was thirty years ago. If we succeed - and I have no doubt that we will - the pureblood families of England - nay . . . Europe - will once again be an intimidating force."

Peering around the room, Arcturus noticed that Pollux had lit his Sherlock pipe as he stared at the floor and stroked his chin. Walburga, on the other hand, hadn't taken her eyes off of him. It was difficult to tell whether she was becoming angry or more inclined to agree with his reasoning.

Not having to guess any longer, however, she spoke up as her stern disposition resided into a congenial tone.

"Let us assume you are right about all of this, Arcturus. What interest would he have in protecting Harry Potter? Our new..._heir_," she finished with reluctance.

"He may not, but he would have an interest in protecting us from the Dark Lord, and in effect, or new heir," Arcturus replied at once. "Before I move any further though, let us fully relieve ourselves of this notion that Harry Potter might not be a worthy heir to this family."

Reaching inside his jacket pocket, he revealed a dusted leather bound book and tossed it onto his desk.

"The Dark Lord's headquarters just happened to be at Malfoy manor. After he fell, Abraxas was able to rummage through some of his personal affects. Interestingly enough, he came up with this," he peered down at the book he just tossed onto his desk. "There were rumors of this, and surely Bellatrix was aware of it. There was a _reason_ he visited the Potter's a few nights ago, one that went well beyond revenge."

Surveying the room to make sure he had every one's attention, he continued his explanation.

"There was indeed a prophecy of sorts, mentioning a boy with the power to defeat him... one born near the end of July to parents that had thrice defied him. The two names written in this book are Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. Obviously, the Dark Lord believed the prophecy referred to the Potter heir. That is almost certainly why he attacked them, to rid himself of that threat. Would you really believe that the Dark Lord would choose a half-blood as the one that would bring about his demise?"

At this point, the constant tick emitted from the grandfather clock in the far corner of the room was the only noise left among them. Not one member of the family was willing to reply just yet.

"You may not want to hear it, but I will mention Lily Evans once more," Arcturus continued. "Abraxas informed me that Lucius was a friend of Severus Snape's growing up. Apparently, he was infatuated with the girl. If Severus spoke the truth, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, then Lily was able to accomplish something that no one in this room has ever dreamed of. It is believed...at least from what Severus has said, that not only could she summon her accidental magic at a young age, but she could _control_ it. A rare feat for even the most powerful witches and wizards."

Walburga's eyes widened at this, lowering her lower lip by a half inch and allowing her smug expression to dissolve into one of sincere contemplation.

"At Hogwarts, she went on to be named head girl," Arcturus explained as he finished his cognac. "Then, a few years later at the young age of twenty-one - I believe it is worth repeating - she fought off the dark lord three consecutive times. It was only a few moments after her death when her one year old child defeated him without anymore than a scar left atop his forehead. This was no ordinary witch Pollux...Walburga, she was a prodigy - certainly not a mudblood. Whatever mystery lies behind her birth, or whatever conspiracy is hidden behind her upbringing, her child is no half-blood. So let us accept this once and for all. I would never in my whole life allow a half-blood into this ancient family. You need only to see the evidence behind me," he gestured to the family tree painted on the wall.

As he stopped speaking, he could see that both Pollux and Walburga looked as though they were beginning to come around, both impressed by what they had just heard. Even Bellatrix, lying on the floor bound in ropes, appeared to be pondering the different possibilities.

"Good," Arcturus concluded at hearing no response, releasing both the silencing spell and the ropes that bound Bellatrix in one swift motion. "Now that you are at least attempting to see reason, we can move onto what I was saying."

Filling his glass with another shot of cognac, he plowed on in what could have been mistaken as a condescending tone.

"Grindelwald, along with the solid unity of the pureblood lines in England, will safeguard our heir from the Dark Lord. And unlike the extremist views that he held, Grindelwald's ideology attracts many more followers than _just_ the purebloods of England. After all, he commanded a force that spread across all of Europe when he was in power. No single individual, not even the dark lord, can overcome that."

Arcturus could see that Bellatrix had wrinkled her nose and narrowed her eyes, appearing aggravated at these words. Somehow, though, she was able restrain herself as he moved forward.

"Grindelwald is more concerned in actually achieving his cause than he is in achieving absolute control. That's why I followed him. He was power hungry, sure, but he was never a tyrant. I knew him well, and he never feared death either. So now that he is an old man like myself he might be willing to accept a successor at some point. Now...Don't misunderstand me. I am certainly not coming to any rash conclusions here. But if our heir possesses the power that I foresee in him, and that the prophecy suggests, than it is not at all unlikely that Grindelwald will take a special interest in him. I believe he would like to see his cause carried out to the end, even in his death."

"This _cause_ you speak of, "Bellatrix replied as she rolled her eyes, "co-existing with muggles. It's a dream! A nightmare! What kind of -"

Arcturus cut her off as he burst into a mocking laughter, provoking Bellatrix to jut her jaw forward and squint her eyes as if being forced to listen to a muggle.

"My dear Bella..." his laughter settling into a subtle chuckle, "you know nothing of Grindelwald. It was the dark lord's vision that was a dream. Do you actually think he could have wiped billions of people from this earth with a simple swipe of his wand?"

"They're _ants_! Insects! He would have wiped them off the face of the planet in days had he been given the chance!"

Arcturus cracked a smiled, closing his hazel eyes and spreading the fingers of his right hand across the wrinkles of his forehead.

"Well, at least you are right about one thing," he sighed. "They are ants, and we the grasshoppers - superior in every way...except one, of course"

Bellatrix fumed at these words.

"And in what way are those _filthy_ muggles superior to us!" she screamed.

"Calm yourself Bella," Arcturus replied in a soft and reserved tone, attempting to quell his grandniece's rage. "I would never say there is a single muggle superior to any single witch or wizard in any way. Certainly not. But _together_, not only do they outnumber us a thousand to one, but they have accomplished extraordinary things. Their technology is now their sorcery. They have explosive devices they call bombs, killing thousands of people in the blink of an eye. They have planes that fly faster than the speed of sound, you know what planes are, yes?" he was now trying hard not to patronize her. "Biological weapons spreading terrible diseases, guns that kill faster than wands, rockets that fly into outer space - capable of only god knows what. You must see reason. They are masters of destruction. We cannot defeat them, only control them."

Bellatrix swallowed a knot in her throat, glaring at her grandfather with hardened eyes. She immediately opened her mouth on impulse, yet nothing came out. Before she could think of anything to say at all, however, Arcturus addressed the entire family.

"Grindelwald wanted what every pureblood wants - class structure! Every successful civilization in the _history_ of the world possessed a large working class. Even if we were able to exterminate the muggles, it would serve us no purpose. Grindelwald knew this! Fear is our greatest ally. The unknown is always a devastating weapon to barbarians. But if we started fighting them now, _we would lose_. And if they ever found out the degree to which they outnumber us, they would hunt us down, dissect us, and try to harness our power. It would be the witch hunts all over again!"

The entire family appeared consumed by the fervor in which Arcturus spoke, not having heard the man speak with such emotion in years. Even Cassiopeia looked as though she wanted him to continue. Seeing their faces, however, Arcturus softened his voice and ended the discussion at once.

"_That_ is why we cannot barge into the muggle world headlong, wands at hand. At any rate, I do not have anymore time for this nonsense. You have all taken an oath, and you all know what to expect from the sole heir of the Black family. Every single one of you will have a part in his childhood, and I expect you to treat him with the utmost care. Do not fail me."

With that, Arcturus rose from his seat and hobbled towards the library door with his cane, slamming it on his way out and leaving his family staring at one another in utter silence. The Arcturus Black that had disappeared into the shadows of his office for so many years was heading the family once more.


	4. Chapter 4

* Sorry, I have been extremely busy recently. However, for the next few weeks I'm almost completely free so I should have much more time to update this story. This update is rather short, and I hope it doesn't end too abruptly. It's part one of chapter two.

Also, just a reminder...I do try and remain consistent with cannon as far as basic factualities in the world are concerned. Grindelwald's first wand, for example, was made from strips of bark.

Anyway... I wrote this tonight and just wanted to let everyone know the story is indeed being continued.*

_Part One Chapter Two_

_Eight years later..._

Two torch embers were doused by the Summer drizzle of July. As the smoke dispersed into the air and mingled with the midnight fog, a ray of moonlight escaped the overcast and pierced through the haze. The sudden sliver of light descending from the sky illuminated the stone tablet above the drawbridge of a towering and deteriorated penitentiary. It read, "For the Greater Good."

As the writing was concealed once again by the shifting clouds, an owl swooped past the extinguished torches marking the entrance way and soared upwards, beating its wings at a rapid pace. Shooting towards the sky, the predator captured the fleeting sights of abandoned prison cells and crumbling stone, searching for its prey through the open windows once lined by iron rods. Twenty stories later it reached the top of the tower and perched itself on the ledge of the last remaining window still ceiled by bars, titling its head to a ninety degree angle and peering in at the sole inmate of Nurmengard.

The balding wizard adorned patched rags and was huddled in the corner of his cell. Mangled locks from his grey beard flowed past his frail chest and towards his navel; sunken hazel eyes swept from left to right as his scarred fingers turned a page of the most recent text he had received from an old nemesis. While the candlelight flickered from a gust of wind, bitter laughter echoed within the chamber as he tossed the book into a pile among many others - his lingering smile revealing yellow teeth tarnished by several blackened crevices.

"Blithering imbecile," he quipped under his breath as he shook his head, "Never changes."

As anticipated, he heard approaching footsteps reverberating off the stone stairwell from below. Oddly enough, his two meals of the day came at twelve noon and twelve a.m sharp.

"Grindelwald," he heard the guard whisper, hearing his voice along with his name for the first time in a year.

Turning to face the familiar guard behind the barred entrance for the first time in nearly a year, he jumped a half step backwards as his silver brows rose to his forehead - his pleasant expression fading into a suspicious glare.

The guard was not the plump old man that he had come to expect after hearing his name, but instead a tall handsome young gentleman with parted dark hair and piercing blue eyes. His right hand was tattooed with a triangular rune of the deathly hallows.

"We don't have much time. We must hurry," he continued to whisper as he shoved a plate of rice and beans under the rusted bars of his cell.

Only wasting a few seconds more as he gazed at the gentleman behind his bars, Grindelwald picked the plate up and flung its contents against the wall. Beneath the slop of his measly dinner he found a thin sheet of hornbeam bark with an adhesive film on its backside.

Turning back and pulling out his rough-hewn bed, he reached towards the back corner where its wobbly leg post had strips of layered bark pinned against the wall. The wood was shaped into an eight inch rod, which encapsulated a long strand of Thestral hair.

As Grindelwald sat down on his bed, he started to extend the makeshift wand by rolling the bark against his leg and around the rod's rough exterior.

"My very first wand..." Grindelwald began to reminisce while he continued to fashion the wand with his feeble hands. His voice was hoarse yet still lively, only affected by a faint german accent. "You know, I was about half your age when I received it, maybe less. Much like this one really, only difference being that it was fashioned from elmwood bark. Of course...it was constructed with far more finesse, proper tools, oils, everything one might need. This one here," he paused as he eyed the wand as if it were made by an infant, "may not even function properly."

The guard peered down the corridor and then back again, tilting his head towards the ground and tightening his lips.

"I understand," he continued in a whisper. "I would have brought you a wand myself, except that everyone is searched before entering the tower. Even the food from downstairs, sir... it is usually inspected before being delivered to you. That is why it has taken so many years. My duty here is only to maintain whats left of the tower, cook, run errands for the others... those sorts of things. They only ask me to take your dinner when they're busy recasting the wards or drunk and playing cards - as they are now."

Pausing as he stole a glance at Grindelwald's new wand, the gentleman narrowed his eyes in concern and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, sir, but that will have to do. My polyjuice is now depleted...I had to take your dinner straight to you this time. They'll be looking for me at any moment. I'm afraid its now or never."

Grindelwald allowed a quick smile to curl his chapped lips.

"So thats why the food has become so deplorable..."

"Yes sir," the young man replied with a grin of his own, allowing a chuckle to linger on his breath.

"Well... its good to know I still have a few followers left out there," Grindelwald remarked while he ran his fingers down towards the tip of his wand - a now finished product. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath as he clutched its handle and widened his blemished smile. He appeared as if here an exiled king grasping his scepter for the first time in many years, relishing in memories of his lost power and fortitude.

"You have many, sir," the gentleman contradicted, "both young and old. Your ideas... they have lived on over the years. I myself have risked almost _everything_ to get where we are now...my family, my life, already my career."

Staring at the elderly prisoner, he could see that he wanted to speak. Yet, Grindelwald remained silent for several seconds until he walked over towards the bars that separated them. Every feature of the decrepit figure became more discerning as he neared the gentleman; his sunken eyes no longer appearing dead and hopeless, but alive and impassioned. Even his uneven hobble no longer seemed to represent that of a defeated and tired old man, but somehow marked by an air of nobility and purpose.

"I wish I could extend a hand of comfort to you my friend," he said, "but sacrifice, and yours in particular, is the father of progress - change. There is no room for sympathy in our struggle for the greater good...I am ready to leave here when you are."

Staring back into his eyes, the young man only replied with a nod of his head as he took out a piece of folded parchment and slipped it to Grindelwald through the bars.

"This tower..." he began under his breath before swallowing a knot in his throat, "it has six guards. Two guarding the drawbridge on the ground floor and four on the level below us. Just outside this cell is a stairwell that will lead you to the drawbridge on the bottom floor, the two guards outside of it are the only ones you will have to concern yourself with. I can only give you so much time though, so you will have to be as quick. There is no way I can hold off the others indefinitely."

Pursing his lips, Grindelwald nodded and held up the parchment that he was given. "And this?"

"Its where you will be going, sir," the gentleman was now speaking with more and more haste. "He is an old friend of yours. You should be safe there. Just make sure to exit through the drawbridge, from there you will be free to fly out of here... only effected by the apparation wards, which extend for at least a mile. On the seventh floor you will find the broom I left for you, its in a closet right next to the doorway. You can't miss it."

"Thank you," Grindelwald spoke in an equally hushed manner, raising his wand and pointing it at the bars in front of him.

"No!" the gentleman stopped him. "You save your energy, you'll need all you can get. Please...allow me."

Grindelwald nodded again while they both took a few steps back. As the gentleman raised his wand he paused for another moment and looked inside the cell.

"My name is also written on the parchment. If I fall, you tell my family what I died for, Grindelwald...please. For the greater good."

Without waiting for a response, he pointed his wand at the cell door.

"Bombarda!"

As the bars flew off the hinges, sirens rang throughout the tower while Grindelwald waved his wand over himself. A slight frown would have been detectable on his face if it weren't for his invisibility charm - one that only rendered him as a shadowy figure instead of the crystal clear outline he was accustomed to before his incarceration.

Taking a deep breath, Grindelwald managed a light jog as he followed the man that had broke him free down the corridor and towards the winding stairwell that would soon lead him to his freedom.


	5. Chapter 5

Two days later...

It was 8 a.m on Friday, July 31st, as Gellert Grindelwald and Arcturus Black sat across from each other in the Black family library. Taking a sip of the tea that Mimsy had just delivered, Arcturus broke a long silence and began speaking with his superior for the first time in well over four decades.

"I hope you are well rested, sir," he began as he placed his cup back on the table. "I can see that Cassiopeia hasn't lost her mind completely. She always had an aptitude for healing spells, after all. You look quite well."

Gellert nodded his head and smiled, his teeth now sparkling white and his beard once again a majestic flow of silver locks.

"Yes...It's a miracle what a good night's sleep can do after forty-seven years of incarceration."

As one side of Arcturus' mouth twitched into a nervous smile, he stumbled as he tried to find the right response.

"I...Yes, of course. It's just...you must understand, sir. The war, the security immediately after your capture, the constant watch-"

Holding up his hand to halt his follower from spewing a torrent of excuses, Grindelwald shook his head and smiled once again.

"Come now, my friend. I am not here to chastise you. That is the last thing I wish to do on my first day of freedom. When everything is back in order, I can assure you, Arcturus, that you and your family will be rewarded for your loyalty," Grindelwald finished as he closed his eyes and exhaled as he took a sip of his hot tea.

"Now," he continued, his smile still lingering, "on to more important matters. Unfortunately we have been delayed by some forty odd years, but you have always been an expert on political affairs within England, so tell me...who is your current minister, what are his plans, and when is he due for re-election?"

"Yes sir," Arcturus replied, now sitting back in his chair in a relaxed state. "His name is Cornelius Fudge. I have had the opportunity of working with him when he was Junior Minister of Magical Catastrophes... odd fellow really. Like any decent politician though, he has a knack for separating his personal views for what is politically correct. While he is a traditional pureblood to some degree, that certainly does not reflect his political agenda. It is well known that he relies on Dumbledore for advice, and it is of my opinion that he genuinely believes in the absolute separation of the muggle and wizarding world."

Reaching into his inside jacket pocket, Arcturus hesitated for a moment and looked up at Gellert with a pair of eyes that might have resembled a dog pleading for a bone.

"Do you... mind?"

"Have I ever?" Grindelwald responded with a chuckle.

"Of course not," Arcturus shook his head and retrieved his first cigar of the day. Putting it to his mouth, a bright ember was produced upon his first puff. "Now...Fudge. I certainly can say that he has failed to be proactive as far as his policies are concerned. He has ensured muggleborns equal rights and has kept the peace so far... Still, not much has changed since the previous administration. You might hear of a ministry inquiry into Gringotts every now and then, or a new foreign trade policy concerning broom sticks and dragon scales, but for the most part he seems content with the status quo. People are happy, and it seems his number one priority is to stay in office."

Gellert narrowed his eyes and titled his head, signaling to Arcturus that he had forgotten something.

"Oh yes..." Arcturus' brows rose as he tapped his cigar over a silver ash trey, "he will be up for election again next spring. No doubt he will be re-elected, of course."

Stroking his beard and looking off into space, Grindelwald straightened himself in his chair and peered back over at Arcturus.

"I take it you are not donating to his campaign?"

"Of course not," Arcturus replied.

"Good. You will be start donating immediately."

Arcturus stopped puffing his cigar and allowed his mouth to hang half open as he stared back at his master in bewilderment.

"I...uh...yes sir," he paused before continuing. "May I...ask why, sir?"

"You may," Grindelwald folded his hands in lap. "First, as you know, progress can only be achieved through sacrifice. If we do not support him, we will remain distant and unable to put any further plans in motion. Second, I imagine that the ICW will likely put him in charge of my search within England. If he is a politician that only wishes to stay in office, then he will not bother his favored supporters over such a matter, will he?"

Arcturus pursed his lips and nodded his head as he stared at the smoke lingering above him.

"I see..." he responded. "Then if it is your wish, I will become his most valued supporter, sir."

"Very well," Grindelwald answered. "Now you say he relies on Dumbledore. Having received the occasional text from him during my time of incarceration, I can assume he is still headmaster of Hogwarts, yes?"

"Indeed he is, sir. The youth of wizarding England has been under his tutelage for many years now."

Gellert allowed a crude smile to curl his lips at hearing this.

"Yes... Clever old food he is. He knows as I do, he who sows the seed reaps the harvest."

Squinting his eyes and peering past Arcturus, Grindelwald scanned the Black family tree until his eyes rested on their most recent heir.

"I wasn't entirely coherent when I arrived yesterday, but I do remember you mentioning something about your heir. Perseus is it? Constellation of the northern skies..." he murmured as he continued to gaze at the family tree. "Son of Regulus Black and Annabella Gamp. I'm afraid I've missed a few births, my friend...but no matter. I presume you intend on enrolling him in Hogwarts?"

"That," Arcturus hesitated as he exhaled a deep breath, "hasn't quite been decided as of yet. But... I think there is something you ought to know of young Perseus, sir."

Gellert raised an eyebrow.

"Go on..."

Thinking of how to approach the topic as he took another deep breath, Arcturus decided to be blunt.

"Regulus never married, sir. Nor do we believe that he ever produced a child. It is only because the Gamp line is now extinct due to Annabella's murder during the war that she was deemed to be the appropriate fit. Perseus is my nephew, sir...my grand-nephew. His name was Harry Potter, child of James Potter and Lily Evans. He was the boy responsible for the Dark... er...Voldemort's downfall."

Frozen still, Grindelwald's eyes remained narrowed and squinted as his head rested on his thumb, his index finger extending to his temple. Nearly a full minute had passed before he took a sip of his tea and issued a response.

"I have heard of this child," he stated. "The man who broke me free...the one who sacrificed his life for me. He had informed me of Tom's death, that there was a prophecy of sorts. He also told me that the boy was dead."

Taking a long puff of his cigar, Arcturus allowed the expelled smoke to curl in front of him before answering.

"That is what everyone believes."

Grindelwald began to stroke his chin as he too stared at the rising cloud of smoke in front of him.

"Evans..." he began as if he were thinking to himself, "I do not recall this surname. Am I right to assume he is half-blood?"

Sighing, Arcturus reached forward and found room to smother his cigar in his ash trey.

"That depends on your point of view..."

"My dear Arcturus," Gellert smiled, "you know I believe every pureblood to be halfblood or less. My views are unchanged. Blood purity is of vital importance to wizarding kind going forward, but we both know only mudbloods can weaken us further. I only ask because I remember your family being a bit more...traditional."

"Yes...well, unfortunately that has not changed much, sir" Arcturus responded. "It is only because Lily Evans has no ministry record, and because she is known for having fought off Voldemort on three separate occasions, that my family refuses to believe that she was of muggle birth. The fact that Voldemort chose a half-blood as the prophesied child in the first place isn't at all convenient for them either. So as you might expect, she is now pureblood only because they say so."

At this, Arcturus and Grindelwald sat back and shared a laugh together, unable to restrain their grins as they sipped their tea.

"Perseus and I, on the other hand," Arcturus continued, "prefer to be governed by reason. While he has wisely rejected his biological father as a blood traitor and embraced us as family, he still privately clings to the Potter name. I am not sure you are aware, sir, but they were the direct descendants of the Peverells...who kept their bloodline pure to the very end. And since James Potter is the first known descendant to have broken that tradition, we are both proud to know that he is likely as pure as any witch or wizard."

Gellert had begun to stroke his beard again, looking directly into Arcturus' eyes for several seconds before responding.

"The Peverells you say? Very interesting... I think I should like to meet this child. Where is he now?"

A smirk spread across Arcturus' lips as he reached into his jacket and opened a golden pocket watch.

"Hmmm...he should be done with his etiquette lesson by now, Walburga normally keeps him on a tight schedule," Arcturus furrowed his brows as he closed his pocket watch. "No matter, I have asked him to meet me here in the library. He should be here any moment. After all, today is his birthday. He will be looking forward to his first present."

As Arcturus patted a small rectangular box covered in emerald wrapping on his desk, three soft knocks were heard at the door before a young boy walked in.

The child stood with a straight back and wore the Black family crest patched over his heart as if it were a badge of honor, along with a dark green tie that ran down the center of his white button down and black robes. His raven hair was neatly combed and parted to one side; his vibrant emerald eyes appeared piercing and observant as they rested on the two men sitting across from each other. He looked more like a young scholar than an ordinary nine year old boy.

"Ah! Perseus, my boy! We were wondering when you'd arrive. I take it you've had a fine birthday so far?"

"Of course, uncle," the boy responded with a refined tone and a smile on his face. "Aunt Walburga just kept me late. She said my handwriting needs sharpening or I'll end up writing chicken scratch like you."

"O nonsense!" Arcturus waved his hand in the air. "Always nitpicking isn't she? Daft old bat...Not to worry though, no more lessons. The rest of the day is yours. And I think you'll be quite excited about the present I have for you. However... I have someone rather special I'd like you to meet first."

Standing up and walking over towards his grand-nephew, he gestured a hand towards Grindelwald.

"Perseus, this is the man you have heard so much about over the past few years - Gellert Grindelwald."

Just as Perseus opened his mouth to greet the old wizard, Grindelwald interrupted as his eyes darted towards Arcturus.

"Leave us."

Arcturus appeared bewildered at these words, looking as though he wanted to object for a moment. Nevertheless, he tilted his head towards his master and left the library at once, not making a sound on his way out.

As the door shut, Grindelwald faced forward towards the wall painting of the Black family tree while sipping his tea, not bothering to look over at the boy.

"Take a seat," he said.

After a moment, Perseus sauntered towards the seat vacated by his uncle, studying the man as he approached him - hesitant in each step he took. It wasn't but a few seconds after sitting down that he began to feel exactly as his uncle must have.

He was in the grand seat of power behind an elegant mahogany desk, elevated by a single step and looking down upon Grindelwald in his simple wooden chair. The setting produced a strange but relaxed atmosphere for the boy, which made him feel at liberty to be himself. Yet, behind the facade of the casual ambience, he felt powerless and vulnerable as the man smiled at him as if he were a kitten purring at his leg.

Swallowing a knot in his throat, Perseus sat up straight, folded his hands in front of him, and looked at the old wizard straight in the eyes.

"There is no need to fear me, child," Grindelwald broke the silence, breaking down the barrier of confidence that Perseus had attempted to construct with one statement.

"I'm not scared," Perseus responded, his tone resembling that of a child lying to his father about taking out his broom stick late at night.

"Very well," Gellert widened his smile even more. "Tell me boy, what do you know about me?"

Breaking eye contact, Perseus looked to the side in thought before looking back at him with another studious gaze.

"My uncle says you're the most powerful wizard alive."

At this, Gellert let out a hoarse chortle.

"I think you will find differing opinions on that, my boy."

"But are you?" Perseus inquired with a touch of excitement in his voice, unwilling to accept an indirect answer.

Gellert's smile vanished at a snail's pace.

"I learned long ago, Perseus, that there is a difference between power and skill. But tell me... I wish to know of your studies. What else do you know of me? Something that doesn't concern my abilities with a wand."

Looking over at pile of books on pureblood etiquette and muggle warfare that Arcturus had laid out for him, Perseus paused for several moments before answering.

"Arty says that...during the first wizarding war, you wished to create a new world order. To put muggles in their place, sir."

Gellert raised an eyebrow.

"And do you know why?"

"Because muggles are weak," Perseus shrugged, his comment sounding more like a question than a statement. "That's what my Aunt Bella says, anyway."

Grindelwald let out a deep sigh at this.

"I see you have much to learn then."

Taking out his wand, he summoned a globe from across the room. It was encapsulated by a glass ceil, protecting the moving currents of water and the variety of terrains that made up the continents, which revolved in unison.

"You are the first child I have seen in quite some time," Grindelwald began. "And from what I can see, you will be head of this family sooner than you may prefer. So allow me to teach you a little lesson, from which you will better understand my perspective."

Perseus sat back in his chair with a smirk on his face, looking as though he had already heard whatever the wizard had to say. Out of the corner of his eyes, he began to peer back and forth from Grindelwald to the large wrapped present on the desk.

"Ill tell you what," Grindelwald said. "If I think you thoroughly understand the lesson, we will open your uncle's present. Does that sound like a deal?"

Perseus narrowed his eyes at Grindelwald upon hearing the proposition.

"But that's Arty's present," he protested half heartedly.

"Well...yes. But I have a feeling he wouldn't mind. If you'd rather not though..."

"No! I mean... I don't think he'd mind. I'm sure this isn't his only one..."

"Excellent," Gellert concluded.

Tapping the chair beneath him with his wand, he apparated next to Perseus, who seemed startled by his sudden appearance. Nevertheless, he scooted forward to get a better view of the globe that now sat on the desk.

"Now...lets keep this simple, shall we?" Grindelwald began as he spotted England on the globe with his finger. Upon touching it, the country lit up as transparent clouds formed above it. On the very northern tip of Scotland, dark clouds were cast above as rain and lightning stormed down upon it, waves crashing against the rocky cliffs of its sea line.

"Tough day for Scotland, eh?" Grindelwald smiled.

Only seeing an impatient expression from the boy, he moved on.

"Anyway, here is where we are," he touched England with his finger once again before spinning the globe with a wave of his hand. "And this is the world we live on. Upon it, nature has placed animal, man, and wizard. Among every species, there is a primal struggle that each and every one of us have in common. Can you tell me what that struggle is?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Perseus only shook his head in response.

"It is survival, Perseus. _However_," Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, "in this struggle we meet conflict, both within nature and with each other. Now...nature inevitably selects those who will prosper and those who will parish, and those who will ultimately endure conflict with one another. It is the manifestation of absolute justice. And it is this justice, my boy, that the weak cannot accept. That only the strong deserve to live."

Looking over at the boy, Gellert saw that he was now at the edge of his seat and starting to pay attention, still staring at the spinning globe.

"Yet, the process of elimination is on going," Grindelwald went on. "As nature continues to spare the worthy in our struggle for survival, man and wizard become the rulers of nature, and thus the masters of justice. How do we rule over nature? How do we rule over one another? Essentially...how do we coexist? These are the questions that separates animal from man and wizard, and they are the questions that quickly become our conflicts."

Flicking his hand toward his tea cup from across the table, Grindelwald summoned the cup towards him and finished the tea off before continuing.

"In this," he said, "we learn that it is not our struggles or the resulting conflicts that reveal our nature, but how we strive to answer these conflicts. Man, for their part, chooses war, genocide, slavery, and destruction of the natural world to to solve their problems. Their history is written in blood...often dictated by greed. Wizarding kind, on the other hand, has endured two wars during the course of its history, along with a couple of rather insignificant Goblin uprisings," Grindelwald restrained himself from rolling his eyes at this. "A political revolution during my time, and an unfortunate slaughter ignited by a mad man ten years ago. Both of these wars, however, were due to the growing muggle population."

Stopping the globe from its continual spin with another flick of his hand, Grindelwald looked at Perseus.

"You will be the head of the Black family before you know it. If your understanding of this world does not exceed your age, you will be duped into lies and fallacies. So understand this if you do not understand anything else child. Muggles are not weak, they are simply godless. They are not stewards of this world as we are, but barbarians in need of guidance. By themselves, their answers to their conflicts only rise so far above the animals. This is why they are not meant to rule over nature, it is a perversion of world order. They are meant to be looked after...ruled over. Not only for us, but for themselves."

Perseus, who had never heard a man speak with such passion or depth, gathered his thoughts. After a couple of moments, he responded in the only way he knew how.

"For the greater good, right? That's what Arty always says...What does it mean, anyway? For everyone?"

Grindelwald's eyes looked down upon the boy while he reached for the present on the desk.

"For now, only know that it means to believe in something larger than _yourself_, my boy. Your uncle knows this, and so must you...sooner rather than later."

"And thats what it means when he says a new world order, isn't it? To look after the muggles? To set them right?" Perseus' pride swelled in his voice, his uncle's sayings over the years beginning to make more sense.

"Precisely," Grindelwald's smile returned as he handed the boy the present.

Abandoning any further curiosity on the subject, Perseus took the present and felt its weight collapse onto his lap. Just as he was about to tear the wrapping open, however, he noticed a small tag on its side. Ripping it off, he read...

_Dear Perseus_

_Your wish for a brother and sister have never fallen on deaf ears. But since you have always been rather fond of this creature, hopefully he will make for a half way suitable companion._

_Uncle Arty_


	6. Chapter 6

Currently drawing up some ideas...want this story to be more Gellert centric. I hope too continue soon.


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